In what might just have been the ultimate way to spend a Spud Sunday, I was, this past weekend, in far West Kerry, immersed in Féile an Phráta and An Spud-Off Mór (that’s the Festival of the Potato and the Big Spud-Off for those in need of a translation). Continue reading »

Clodagh's Kitchen Blackrock is a new development for Clodagh McKenna, who has created a cosy niche in Arnotts on Henry Street in Dublin 1. Located on the upper floor in the Blackrock Shopping Centre (on the same level as Superquinn) the restaurant is quite Avoca-esque in its decor, with comfortable banquettes and booths, marble topped tables and pretty cottage style flowers in water glasses.

I feel like a child at Christmas. Today is the day we get to taste the first new potatoes that we have grown ourselves.
This isn’t the first time we’ve grown our own food by a long shot. Until now however, we hadn’t grown potatoes, simply because we could get them cheaper from local farmers at their gates. With the bad weather over the past 2 years, the price of potatoes has been steadily on the increase so this year we decided to grow our own. Continue reading »

Back to the Mustard Seed for this evening’s dinner and that
meant a return to a culinary paradise and tasty temptations in the former convent
in Ballingarry, super food and service and a four course meal, fit for a Gourmet
Superior, in a pleasant and unhurried ambience.

A smoked salmon Amuse Bouche was followed by a couple of
terrific starters. Continue reading »

Long before our father even thought of opening Organico one of the first ‘health’ products I remember him getting excited about was Cider Vinegar. He used to make us drink it any time we complained of a ‘funny tummy’ – and it was so effective that we all still take it and suggest it to our friends in similar situations. There are hundreds of claims made for Cider Vinegar, and there are also people who say that those claims are all complete rubbish. Continue reading »

To celebrate its brand new All You Can Eat Everything offer on Bill Pay Three Mobile is running a Cookery Competition to find Ireland’s Best Home Cook Fish Dish!
Irish Home Cooks and Amateur chefs and are being challenged to battle it out in the kitchen to have their fishy creation judged by a panel of foodies including Masterchef UK star John Torode and have their dish crowned, Ireland’s Best Fish Dish. Continue reading »

Not the best of days but a superb finish. And not just the
ending back here at the Mustard Seed, sipping some red wine in front of a
blazing June fire!

That final luxury came after a superb meal in Adare’s Wild
Geese, run for the last 14 years by David Foley and Julie Randles. Enjoyed a
tasty Goat Cheese Amuse Bouche and then followed two of the best starters you are
likely to find. Continue reading »

I just wanted to share a couple of photos of the wedding cake that I made last week. I absolutely love the design that the bride chose, the white on white looks so simple and elegant and the diamante, sets off the … Continue reading →. Continue reading »

Despicable Me is one of my favourite animated films. It’s funny, dark, and distinctly different to a classic Disney animation. Gru is a complex cartoon character, and the minions are almost modern day oompa loompas. It’s full of fun and mad ideas, and the minions really steal the show.
In my old workplace, a colleague of mine had a large cardboard minion. She used to place the minion in peoples chairs when they were out, so the minion was there to greet them when they returned. Continue reading »

Today is officially the last day of primary school for the summer and I’ve been stocking the deep freeze with cakes and treats for the next few weeks. I really didn’t want to be slaving over the hob for ages. This pea salad takes about 7 minutes to make from start to finish, including boiling the kettle. Longer if you add meat. Continue reading »

You’ve heard the saying, “They’re like a kid in a candy store.” Well, that candy store may no longer be open to children during the school day. With new standards advocating for smarter and healthier snacks the school snack line is about to get a drastic makeover.
School is a place for learning. And now school is a place for learning better eating habits thanks to a new standard for healthier school snacks.
The U.S. Continue reading »

Ever since we moved in to our house I have inspected the over flow from the old man’s garden at the back of ours that hangs down over the fence hoping to find a bounty of elderflower. Every summer I have been disappointed to find that on closer inspection the white flowers that bloom in late May and June are too big. But then this year I noticed something different. A week or so after the white blooms had faded a second crop appeared. Continue reading »

It’s time your candy got a makeover. And UNREALTM candy is here to upgrade your candy collection. Made with real, unprocessed products UNREALTM is really unbelievable. And we are giving away $30 worth of this too-good-to-be-true candy. Find out more about UNREALTM and how to enter below.
UNREALTM have unjunkedTM America’s favorite candies. That means they are making high quality candy that can compare to your favorite grocery store brands, but without the “junk” in them. Continue reading »

My feature article on food writing in the digital age for Irish Examiner is now online from this link: Developing a taste for digital delights Putting things online is never an exact science! The panel, with extra links and reading, which accompanied the feature in print didn’t make it to the website so I’ve reproduced… Continue reading »

There is, in the Askeaton Franciscan Friary, a saint whose face is fading away. For generations, visitors with toothache and related problems have been kissing him on the face in the hope of a cure. Not too sure if the aches vanished but the saint’s face, at least the area round the mouth, is vanishing.
In the same abbey, there is a statue of Saint Patrick, high in one of the internal walls, easily missed. Continue reading »

Over the last few months, i have been saying that there has been something coming and to watch this space. Now it is finally a little closer!
Patisserie Challenge is launching as a website, as of now!
However we are very much under construction and i advise you to watch this space over the coming months. It is planned that the more official launch will take place in Autumn, after work and summer have calmed down a little. The address will be posted in Autumn, so as to not disappoint. Continue reading »

Mediterranean Fish, a dish by David Marcel (Creative Commons). Think you can produce something similar, or better, and nab Ireland’s Best Fish Dish?

If you think you’ve got Ireland’s Best Fish Dish on your hands and you reckon it would stand up to scrutiny from Andrew Rudd, Ross Golden-Bannon and Masterchef UK’s John Torode, then read on. Continue reading »

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Every cook we know loves their iPad (or lusts after one) for clipping, reading and cooking from online recipes right in the kitchen. Well, Clickcase.ie has what may be the ultimate kitchen gadget for iPad lovers: the Speck Handyshell slots around your iPad 2 so it can be hung from any rack, drawer or cabinet knob, keeping your iPad at eye level and safe from spills and mess. Genius!

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This November The Great Irish Bake is back and Kitchen Hero Donal Skehan is helping out with sharing recipes and promoting the event. The Great Irish Bake is in aid of helping sick and seriously ill children get the treatment they need. Head over to The Great Irish Bake to register online and be in the chance of winning a trip to New York when you help raise funds for Temple Street Children’s University Hospital. The site also has hints, tips, recipes and all that goes with an event like this.

This is the Facebook for The Great Irish Bake and of course the Twitter hashtag is: #thegreatirishbake

The Great Irish Bake organisers have shared a recipe with us and also a picture of Donal Skehan with his kids from his first marriage. Some of this might be a lie.

The Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a standalone mixture beat together the butter and sugar. Add in the egg and
mix through.
3. Using a wooden spoon mix through the flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice
and vanilla extract until you have a biscuit dough.
4. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and roll out to about 1cm in thickness.
5. Cut out biscuit shapes, place on the lined baking tray, then using a smaller cutter
or a small knife cut out the center of each cookie.
6. Sprinkle the crushed sweets into the centre of the cookie and place in the oven
7. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire
wrack.

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